Morning journal and courier., 1887-05-23
CHURCH NOTES.

| Pearl Street Church. Fafr AaVen. Rev. Mir. Samson preached very interest ing sermon yesterday morning at Wooster Place Baptist church to large congregation. Rev. MT. Butricks, the pastor, is away taking a vacation and before his return attends the national Baptist convention at Minneapolis
 Prof. Wayland of Yale Law school also at tends the convention.
 1 The praise service at College street church last evening, the last of very succes sful series, was highly enjoyed by one of the | largest congregations of the present year. It I was the finest and most successful of the series. Especially excellent was the singing I of "Rook of Ages" by the auartette composed l of Mrs. s. s. Thompson, Miss Northrop, MT. Newhall and MT. Griggs. Rev. Dr. McLane l delivered very interesting address, subject, 'Ray Palmer and his hymns" The hymns 1 sung were the late MT. Palmer's compost tions.
 UNITED CHURCH. The fine weather was religiously improved by the attendants at the United church fill | ing all the seats in the auditorium and some 1 in the galleries. Action having been taken to lay out $4, 900 to $5, 900 to change and i'm prove the gallery stairs as well as the galler- | ies and to newly paint and fresco the inside of the church. Dr. Munger, the pastor, ap- piled the lesson of his text Phill. iv, s. ''Whatsoever things are true, honorable, just pure, lovely of good report think of these things" to the subject of church improve ment both as to forms of service and the building and it's accommodations for service. The whole chapter was read for the morning lesson.
 The gospels and epistles of the New Testi- ment intentionally omit all recognizing or prescription of forms of service This same nj ohQrQftaTiatic of tba apostle Paul. In the primitive periods of the church costly and imposing edi6ses and liturgical forms were useful, rer- haps necessary, but in the light of but secondary importance. To worship in spirit and in truth, to exhort one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs in frequent meetings. is the chief injunction of this New Testament. By the text, the pastor said, we are expressly taught to use all the best rules of conduct, although not in the written word. All that is right, true, joyous, honorable of proved and tried good report is the Christians rightful possession. Thus, the speaker said, Congregationalism is characterized by perfect freedom to adopt, use and enjoy all that is good and to reject all that is worthless and worn out. Its youth is perpetual and improvement greater and higher, as warranted by experience. Dr. Munger named the proposed alterations in the church during the coming summer and called attention to the printed blank forms of pledges to raise $3,000 in the next three years. An improved order of service was used for the first time in yesterdays worship. REV. S. MAXWELL PRATT AT CALVARY
 CHURCH.
 At Calvary Baptist church, both morning and evening yesterday, Rev. s. Hartwell Pratt, the evangelist, delivered two excellent sermons. The audiences were fair, but not what they should have been. Both sermons were of that degree of excellence that the church should have been crowded at each service. The sermons were practical
 In the morning the ubject of his sermon was "Christ to US just as we take him to be-"
 His subject for the evening was ''The for giveness of sins" He took for his text the second verse of the ninth chapter of St. Mat thew: "Son, be of good cheer: thy sins are forgiven thee"
 There are times when the words s'I forgive you" are the sweetest in our life. have looked through the columns of a paper and seen 8 personal saying: "Dear son, all will be forgiven The son is wondering if they will see him again. He picks up the paper and his eye rests on that personal. Can you imagine the joy this causes him and how quickly he goes home to receive his fathers blessing?
 Nature cannot forgive sins. It knows no forgiveness. The man who violates the laws of nature is marked all his life. There is no peace or rest to those who violate the rules of nature. The law knows no forgiveness That remains for God to do. Sins may be remitted by Gods glad word.
 In the seventh verse of the first chapter of Ephesians find the crown of our forgive ness: "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace"
 "pll forgive you," says one person to an other, "but I will not forget what forgave you for" Do you know when God forgives you he fergets your sins of lifetime? There is one thing the Lord forgets, that is sin; there is aiother he never forgets, that is the person whose sins he has forgiven.
 There is one soul that can have peace and happiness-the one whose sins have been forgiven. F'Come unto me-" the Lord says, Gall ye that are leavy laden, and I will give you rest"
 A SERMON YOUNG PEOPLE.
 The East Pearl street M E. church was crowded last evening with young people who went to hear Rev. Arthur Goodenough Which Way?" The text was from Genesis, xii, 1: "Now the Lord said unto Abram, get thee up out of thy country and from thy kin dred and from thy fathers house unto land that will show thee."
 A life sworn to duty is the noblest object serve God is the most profitable thing in the world. You ask, what is my dutya Your duty is first to God and then to family and neighbor and country. Your duty to God is prior to all others. Patriotism is next to godliness. The man who is right with God will serve his country best and will strike the hardest blow at the evils which surround her.
 All young people meet at the cross roads. There are 8 number of roads leading in diff ferent directions, but only one which is the right one. The rest are all gilded
 4I,o nrrI,. oI, to catch the unwary. Do not take any of these roads, beg of you, as you value your peace of mind here and in the world to come salvation for your soul, but obey God and take the road which leads to his mansions above No man ever suffered for obedience to God. The young person who starts out in this life for the sole purpose of having 'tgood time," or whose aim is to gain riches, will never amount to much. Many 8 default CT started at the cross roads and said, will and must have riches, and he followed that road and is now in Canada. Young Ferdi- nand Ward. when he started at the cross roads, said, will be rich whoever is made poor; and now he is in the laundry business in Sing Sing prison. As far as a good time is concerned enjoy genuine good time as we'll as anyone present. would not lessen your comforts or enjoyments; l would rather multiply them. Only choose that which is pure.
 Do not resolve to be rich, but rather to be good and then if riches come you will be better fitted to enjoy them. Thousands of young people are travelling on the path which leads to heaven where Christ your Saviour is interceding for us, and I hope and pray that your path shall be as the shining light, shin ing more and more unto the perfect day.
 MT. Goodenough's preaching is meeting with much acceptance. He is a good speak CT, young man of thirty-fve, and g fine companion and pastor socially and has al- ready made an excellent impression in Fair Haven. Mir. Goodenough announced last evening his intention of preaching a course of sermons on "Faith vs. Creed" to be given on successive Sunday evenings.
 The Sunday school of this church numbers almost four hundred members and the aver age attendance is over three hundred.
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